Nintendo has announced plans to drop the price of fledgling handheld 3DS by $80, just 5 months after the console launched.
Starting on August 12th, American Nintendo fans will be able to buy the handheld for just $169.99, down from the current $250 price tag. In Japan, the price drops from 25,000 yen down to 15,000. Europe will be getting the same deal, but Nintendo didn’t offer a specific price point.
“I can confirm that Nintendo of Europe will be reducing the European trade price of Nintendo 3DS to retailers by around a third from August 12 2011, as part of a global trade price reduction initiative,” a rep told VG247 this morning.
Nintendo admitted that the 3DS was struggling because of a lack of software, calling the recently released Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D “favourably received”,”but Nintendo 3DS had few other hit titles”.
In an attempt to ease frustration of early adopters, Nintendo announced that anyone who purchases a Nintendo 3DS before August 11th will receive 10 free Virtual Console NES titles and 10 Virtual Console GBA titles.
“It is clear from our market research that many people feel that they ‘want’ and ‘want to buy’ Nintendo 3DS, and the latest demand for this device is the largest in comparison with our previous new platforms at the time of their launches,” he explained.
“But on the other hand, there is a big proposition that not that many people believe ‘Now is the time to buy it!’ The penetration will not gain speed without overcoming this challenge.
“After all, the way to solve this problem lies in how to communicate ‘what kind of games can be played’, as long as Nintendo 3DS is a gaming device.
“There might be consumers who are interested in Nintendo 3DS,” he continued, “but they are unable to find software which they want to play, and they are in the ‘wait-and-see mode’.”
Nintendo also announced that Super Mario 3D will launch in November, followed by Mario Kart 3D in December.
[Source]
